Wednesday, 13 April 2016

I have recently been plagued by a visiting Grey Heron that appears to have eaten several of the small fish I bought last year! Only a single, very old and very large Ghost Koi is visible at present! I am hoping the smaller fish are in the depths of the pond out of harms way but I fear this will not be the case. The pond is netted throughout the year but this year there has been a small section by a new waterfall that is not as secure! The pond is doubly reinforced now so hopefully the heron will give up and move on elsewhere, I fear this will also not be the case!
I honestly have nothing against the Herons but I just wish they would visit a reserve, park lake or bigger pond for their meal and leave my small pond alone!!!

Gotcha!!! I am sure the Heron thought it was inconspicuous!

Surely it will not attempt to get past the string and netting

It did as you can see! I had to shoo it off at this point!

Getting ready for another assault on my pond!

The launch!

I have had the pleasure of seeing this Wren recently in my garden, it has leucistic feathering on it's head. I think it look's quite pretty and certainly noticeable!

Not in my garden (I wish) but I thought I would add a few pics of Yellow and Pied Wagtails I have seen on a recent local walk.

I was pleased to manage to get 2 in one pic....delightful little birds.

Monday, 11 April 2016

It was good to have paid a visit to Brandon Marsh N R on a sunny and pleasantly mild (ish) day! Surprisingly every hide bar one was devoid of people and this was mid morning, maybe the locals get their early doors when it is even quieter!!!

Friday, 8 April 2016

It was a very windy, rainy and cold Colwyn Bay and surrounding areas over the 'Easter' weekend however one good point...Good Friday was good with sunshine and a gentle breeze until later in the day when the wind was strong enough to blow you over and was decidedly cold!! Easter Saturday was literally a washout and a windy washout at that! Sunday faired slightly better, less rain but still heavy when it arrived and the strong winds prevailed all day!

Thankfully RSPB Conwy was visited on Good Friday and the perimeter walk was enjoyed in sunshine albeit a little chilly! The walk takes you alongside the estuary saltmarsh. Wigeon were to be the only species seen on the estuary. Conwy Castle can be viewed on the walk though distant.

Highlight species seen during the visit were: Little Egret, Shelduck , Oystercather and Curlew aplenty, Redshank, Pochard, Red-breasted Mergansers (lovely to see these sawbills), Snipe (distant but I believe a Common Snipe), Wigeon and Little Grebe.
The Starling Roost was great to see though the numbers had diminished from previous weeks as the good numbers of the birds had started to move on back to the Continent to their breeding grounds.

A few images taken over the weekend.

Conwy Castle.

Curlew Island!

Oystercatcher Island!

Trying to ignore each other!

The Carneddau group of mountains were visible from many areas of the reserve, as you can imagine with them being mountains.;-) It was lovely to see the snow on them, brrrr....it might be Spring but only just!

The Starlings were amazing to see, as I mentioned previously not in great numbers but still in good enough numbers as numerous waves of Starlings made for a splendid murmuration! A Peregrine Falcon flew through them a few times but left the scene with empty talons.

South Stack, Anglesey.

A picture paints a thousand words...just one word needed here...gloomy!

Colwyn Bay on a dull, wet, windy and cold Easter Saturday.

A soggy looking Turnstone was as good as it got! Lovely to see all the same.

Me taking a photo of me taking a photo. Hey ho!

Great Orme, Easter Sunday.

Summit Complex

Pitch and Putt with great views!

These images are deceiving, it was very, very windy and I had to lean against a fence to keep upright to take the photo's....I kid you not!